


Take Me Out to the Ball Game

by astudyinfic



Series: A December of Ty and Zane [28]
Category: Cut & Run - Madeleine Urban & Abigail Roux
Genre: Baseball, Gratuitous use of puns, M/M, so many puns
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-29
Updated: 2018-12-29
Packaged: 2019-09-29 14:19:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,346
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17204969
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/astudyinfic/pseuds/astudyinfic
Summary: Ty and Zane make a pilgrimage to Atlanta so Zane can see how "real" baseball is played.A good time is had by all, even if Ty is about ready to kill him for all the puns by the end of the game.Day 28:Something old





	Take Me Out to the Ball Game

**Author's Note:**

> As a Seattle Mariners fan born and bred who bleeds navy and "northwest green", I will never agree with Ty on the designated hitter argument. American League is real baseball, goddamnit Ty!
> 
> Also, I love baseball and puns and this fic got a lot longer than intended because of it.

**Pre-game**

Ty’s excitement was palpable as they walked up to the new stadium.  Despite the crowd at the main entrance, Ty insisted they had to use it.  “We have to get the full experience, Garrett!” The whole drive over, it was all he could talk about.  He’d been to a number of games growing up at Turner Field and was disappointed he couldn’t take Zane there.  He reminisced to the point that Zane felt like he’d been before, even though he’d never set foot in the old stadium in his life.   Thanks to Ty’s excited babbling, Zane now knew where Ty’s favorite seats were in Turner Field and why. He talked about the best place to get a beer and the best place to get hot dogs, and wondered out loud if those vendors were going to be at the new park.  

They arrived as the gates opened, wanting plenty of time to look around.   _ Ty _ wanted plenty of time to look around.  Zane wanted to watch his excitable husband taken in everything that there was to see.  The retired numbers and the old jerseys, statues and exhibits and displays. Ty took them all in with the excitement of a child and Zane couldn’t stop smiling.  

Finding their seats just in time for the pregame excitement, Zane looked around, admiring the beautiful field, so unlike Camden Yards where he usually watched the game played.  They went to O’s games all the time, whenever they had a day off and some time to kill. He’d grown up watching the Rangers but never felt a real connection to any team. To Ty’s dismay, Zane considered Baltimore his team of choice now, so Ty set to rectify that with a trip to Atlanta.  “You need to see how  _ real _ baseball is played,” he’d argued and Zane rolled his eyes.  The designated hitter argument was one he would never win, so it was best to just avoid it altogether.  

The stadium stood for the National Anthem and while Zane tried to pay attention to the singer and the flag, his eyes were naturally drawn to Ty.  Snapped to attention, he looked every bit the Marine, even in his jeans and Braves’ jersey. While Zane never forgot that his husband served, times like this really brought it to the front of his mind.  

He never thought he had a military kink before, but damn...

No, it wasn’t the military.  It was just Ty. And the military was part of him. 

“Did you even look at the flag, darlin’?” Ty asked when they took their seats once more.  And if Zane had to lean over and kiss that knowing smirk of Ty’s face, well then, no one could really blame him for it.

The kiss lasted only a moment before the umpire yelled, “PLAY BALL!” and Ty’s attention went back to the field.  Zane laughed fondly and sat back to watch the game. 

**First Inning**

The Brewers and the Braves were evenly matched, at least on paper, and while Zane hoped Ty’s team could win, he was bracing himself for a foul mood if it didn’t go their way.  But when Milwaukee left a man on at the top of the inning and then Atlanta scored three in the bottom, things were already looking up.

“Already better than an O’s game, right?” Ty asked, eyes shining with excitement and Zane couldn’t help but smile back at him. 

He nodded.  “Whatever you say, doll?”  Ty pulled a face and Zane kissed him before going to get them both drinks.  

Ty gave him a quick kiss when he returned just before the second inning started with a beer for Ty and iced tea for himself.  “You’re the best. Love you.”

“Glove you too,” Zane said with a smirk, ducking when his husband tried to smack him.  

“Pun penalty, Lone Star.”

**Second Inning**

Zane had to revise his opinion about things looking good when the Brewers got two on in the next inning.  “Damn it! Come on! Do something already!” Ty yelled, jumping to his feet as Pina got on base. “Field the ball!”  

He flopped back into his chair in relief when their pitcher hit into a double play, ending the top of the second with no runs.  

Unable to resist the opportunity, Zane leaned over.  Lips brushing against his lover’s ear, Zane offered, “I’d be happy to field some balls if you know what I’m talking about.”

When the first Brave went up to bat, Ty turned to stare at him, shock and horror written all over his face.   _ Are you kidding me _ ? hung unspoken in the air between them and Zane smiled innocently at him.  

When the Braves got out of the inning with no more runs and leaving a man on base, Ty glared at Zane.  “Your puns have cursed them. No more puns until they score again.” Zane opened his mouth to speak and Ty covered it with his hand.  “If you do,  _ you _ won’t be scoring again for a long time.”

Zane shut his mouth with a snap and nodded.  Wasn’t worth the risk.

Yet.

**Third Inning**

Three up, three down.  The Milwaukie batters were a disappointment today, Zane decided.  Or would be if he was a Brewer fan. As it was, he was enjoying Ty’s casual taunting of them from his seat, in between sips of beer and stolen kisses.  “I’m almost embarrassed for them,” Ty laughed as the Brewers took the field. “I would be embarrassed except they chose to play for Milwaukie which was really their first mistake.”

Zane couldn’t say Milwaukie would be in the top hundred places he’d like to live but to each their own, he supposed.  

When Inciarte doubled to bring in two runs for the Braves, Ty celebrated by downing the rest of his beer then throwing his arms around his husband.  “Take that Brewers!” he said with a laugh, waving his empty beer cup in the air. 

“Yes, doll, you showed them.”  Zane tried not to giggle at how ridiculous his husband was but sometimes it was just too hard to hold back.  “You’re quite the catch, baby.” He wrapped his arm around Ty’s waist and stared out at the field as the Brewers got the last player out to end the inning.

Ty turned to look at him, lips pursed and brow furrowed, obviously trying to decide if that was a pun, or mocking him, or both.  Zane kept facing the field and bit his cheek to keep from laughing.

**Fourth Inning**

The fourth inning goes as well as the third for the Brewer’s offense and before they know it, the Braves are up to bat again.  Ty’s laugh draws Zane’s attention away from the batter and he points towards the bullpen. “They’ve already got someone warming up.  Their pitcher won’t even make it half a game. Guess that teaches them.” He started babbling about ERAs and on-base percentage and no matter how much Zane loved numbers, he really just didn’t care.  

What he did love was Ty’s face when he was passionate about something, even if it was trash-talking some poor team from Wisconsin.  When the Brewers inevitably called for a pitching change after they gave up one more run, Zane offered to go get Ty another beer. 

Ty nodded happily and pulled out the program, looking up the stats for the reliever.  He knew he was pushing his luck but he had been banned from puns until they scored again, which they did so Zane took a chance.  “Do you think we’re in the bullpen, baby? Because you’re sure warming me up.”

He took off for the stairs before Ty could retaliate, though he did hear a couple creative curse words thrown in his direction as he fled.  

By the time he returned, the Braves had scored another run, putting them up seven to nothing and Ty seemed to have either forgotten the pun or been in too good a mood to be upset about it.  

Zane would just have to try harder.

**Fifth Inning**

Zane marveled at just how quickly the fifth inning passed.  When no one got on base and it was three up and three down for both teams, the game tended to move much faster.  Ty was flagging down the popcorn guy when Zane decided to make it more fun. For him anyway.

“I know why you married me,” he said, keeping his tone light and conversational.

Ty, knowing him far better than anyone else, narrowed his eyes, probably already sensing what was coming.  “Why?”

“Unlike the Braves, I already know my way around the bases.”

Watching Ty splutter and flail, trying to get properly upset but in a public setting, was pretty much the funniest thing ever.  Eventually, he gave up and sat heavily in his seat, pulling out his phone to send a text.

He typed furiously for several minutes before showing the phone to Zane.  “Nick thinks you’re an asshole.”

Zane shrugged, not denying it.

A moment later his own phone buzzed.  

_ [text; Nick] I’m using that line on Kels next time we watch the Cubs play.  Thanks for that! _

_ [text] Any time. _

Chuckling, Zane slid his phone back into his pocket.

**Sixth Inning**

Nick didn’t stop texting after that, which was probably for the best because the Brewers got a guy all the way to third and Ty took it remarkably well considering he was staring at his phone and didn’t even notice.

_ [text; Nick] Hey Six, want to hear a joke? _

_ [text] Sure _

_ [text; Nick] The Yankees. _

_ [text] :high five: _

_ [text; Nick] Want to hear something that isn’t a joke? _

_ [text] ...sure? _

_ [text; Nick] Garrett’s love for you. _

Zane read the interaction over Ty’s shoulder, laughing out loud before grabbing his own phone.  

_ [text] Did you just hit on my husband?  For me? _

_ [text; Nick] You’re welcome. _

He would have continued texting but when the Braves got up to bat, they scored three more runs and they were too busy cheering to pay any attention to Nick.  

Really, he should have known better than to text with them during a game anyway.

**Seventh Inning**

The hapless Brewers spent their offensive stand in the seventh inning doing absolutely nothing.  Zane barely had time to get back from getting Ty one last beer (he’d long ago realized it was much easier just to go get it himself than try to get Ty to leave the game for any reason), before the seventh inning stretch was underway.

They joined in the crowd singing  _ Take Me Out to the Ballgame _ and Zane laughed when they replaced “home team” with “Braves”.  After that, the organist went straight into  _ America, the Beautiful _ and while Zane wanted to sing along, he couldn’t find his voice.  Listening to Ty sing was a heavenly experience under any circumstances, but the way he belted out that song with such feeling, it took Zane’s breath away.

Even as the Braves left the bases loaded without getting a single run, Zane sat quietly, feeling that peace that always came over him when Ty sang. The inning ended without a single pun, but Zane didn’t realize that until the middle of the next.  

**Eighth Inning**

The eighth inning was  _ almost _ exciting as far as the Brewers batters were concerned.  One of them managed to get on base, which was more than could be said for most of the other innings.  Of course, they got out three batters later and no one scored but it was something. “They almost had an offense there,” Ty said in mock sorrow, which would have been more effective if he wasn’t grinning when he said it.  

Zane just laughed.  And he continued laughing when Ty was indignant as the Braves couldn’t mount much of an offense either.  To try and lessen his husband’s annoyance, he asked, “Did you hear the joke about baseball? It will leave you in stitches.”

Groaning, Ty took the hat off his head and smacked Zane with it.  “That was terrible. Why do I love you again?”

“Because I know my way around bats and balls?” Zane whispered in his ear.  Rewarded with a pained groan, Zane laughed. 

“You already used that pun, you know,” Ty pointed out.  He was trying to be mad but Zane watched the corners of his lips turn up and he knew Ty was as amused as he was.  

Shaking his head, Zane took Ty’s hand and kissed the back of it.  “No, I didn’t. Close, not the same.”

“Close enough,” Ty countered but he squeezed Zane’s hand in reply and smiled warmly, so he figured he was forgiven.  

**Ninth Inning**

“Want to know how I’m not like the Brewers?” Ty asked.  Zane raised a brow, knowing Ty would finish his thought whether he said anything or not.  “At least I know I’m going to score tonight.”

Pulling Ty close, Zane kissed him, tasting the beer on his lips and humming in response. “After a pun like that, you’re damn right you are.”

They cheered as the Braves’ fielded an easy ground ball to end the game.  With a score of ten to nothing, the whole place was going crazy.    
“Are you glad we came, doll?” Zane asked as they made their way out of the stadium, hand in hand.  Their hotel was only a couple blocks away and the night was warm, despite the late hour.

Ty plucked his old Braves hat off his head and pulled it down over Zane’s curls, giving him a bright smile.  “You know I am! I’m so glad you agreed to this, baby.”

“Me too, Beaumont.  Me too.” 

They walked through the jubilant crowd, accepting high fives and laughing with the happy Braves’ fans.  “Two more games to go!” Ty pointed out and Zane would stay forever if it put that kind of smile on his husband’s face. 

But he also made a mental note that with two more games before they headed back to Baltimore, he was going to need to look up some more puns.  For obvious reasons.

**Author's Note:**

> (In case you were wondering, the "something old" was Ty's hat. I got so excited about baseball and puns I sort of lost track of the prompt. OOPS!)
> 
> Come yell at me on [tumblr](http://astudyinfic.tumblr.com), [pillowfort](https://www.pillowfort.io/astudyinfic) or [twitter](http://twitter.com/astudyinfic)
> 
> Also, we made a [Cut & Run discord channel](https://discord.gg/KFfErkb) if anyone is interested in joining and yelling at us about the books we all love.


End file.
